How can I improve my singing voice?

Hello all,
I just thought id try and see if any ATS users can help me out with this little issue im having. I'm trying to learn how to sing well, and although my voice is getting stronger everyday, i can't seem to make my voice melodic. I've dreamed of being a singer but never had a voice (i couldnt even hold a note at one time) and now it seems that i might could possibly be a singer after all. However im not there yet. I recently sang a cover of a song and found that i was able to hold my voice long enough but then when i listened to it, my voice sounded horrible because it was offkey and unmelodic. I know theres something that can improve this, sometimes my voice does sound melodic, but i need to make that permanent. Ill try anything to be able to sing. So if anyone has advice, or excercises i can do each night or something, anything please share. However please don't bother if you only plan on telling me to go pay for singing lessons, im well aware of that option, i simply don't have time, thanks though.
Please, any help/advice is appreciated still.

P.S. How can i find my own voice? I havent exactly found my voice(the way i should or was meant to sing), perhaps if i can find my own true voice i wont have an offkey problem anymore. Everyone sings differently, and that may just be my deal.
THanks,
Vesu

I'm not a singer, so I'm sure there's others around here that could offer much better advice than I can. Unfortunately I can't offer any specific techniques, but hopefully by replying I can help get the ball rolling on your thread so more people post their thoughts.

Just like anything else, practice. Practice as much as possible and over time you should improve. At least 30 minutes a day I'd say, more if you can put the time aside. I'd focus on one song at a time, pick one you love and work on it until you can get through it note for note with ease. Then move on to another song and repeat.

I know you don't want to hear the obvious answer of take vocal lessons. But in my opinion, that would really be your best option. I play guitar, and I used to feel the same way about getting a teacher. But after I started taking lessons my skill level went up so much quicker than when I was teaching myself. In my eyes, lessons are well worth the time and money in the long run. I know you don't want to hear that, and I'm sorry, but a teacher really is the best option. Most lessons are 30 minutes to an hour, once a week, around here at least, not sure about your area. When you consider the amount of time you're going to put into practicing 30 minutes out of a week is not that much.

[edit on 1/12/2007 by ToxxiKall]

One thing that alot of singers do before performing is drink chamomile tea. I've done it and it really "softens" up the vocal chords.

Also a basic exercise that anyone can do is the "Do Ray Mi" song.

You say you're trying to make your voice more "melodic." Could you elaborate on that a bit more? I mean, you're wanting to hit pitches with more accuracy, or get better phrasing, or...? If you're wanting better accuracy, get a keyboard or a piano--at least just access to one--and spend a good amount of time every day just hitting notes in your range and singing along with them. Then try to sing the notes and hit it on the keys.

Also, what kind of music are you trying to sing? That makes a big difference in your own (and others') perception of your voice. (And if you're trying to go for rock or blues or something like that, or the folksy singer/songwriter sound, don't worry about your singing voice at all--I cite B. Dylan, W. Nelson, and K. Cobain ). And keep in mind that some voices just don't match with a style. My fiance is a great classical singer, but would never make it in the mainstream music world--she just doesn't have the right sound.

There's tons of brilliant singers out there who sound like crap if they sing country, or jazz, or rock, or whatever; in their own realm though, they're awesome. You might want to try different styles and see if there's one that fits you better--it may not necessarily be the same style you like to listen to either.

A more appropriate question might be who's your main inspiration as a singer? Not someone that you want to sound exactly like, but someone who has a similar vocal approach. If you're looking at someone with a lot of technique, say Whitney Houston for example (maybe a bad example, but...) then you should really consider getting a professional vocal coach. If you want to sing like Bob Dylan or Kurt Cobain, then stop practicing for a couple of years before your next performance.

Another thing that I've always found to be the biggest stumbling block in singing is confidence. If you worry too much about how you sound, you'll sound terrible. No matter how bad you are, you'll sound better if you don't care as much (still try, of course); no matter how good you are, you'll be crap if you just worry about how it sounds. I'm no singer by a long shot, but everyone always confirmed my belief that I sounded a bit better on karaoke after a couple of beers. Not saying you should drink, but just something to loosen you up and not worry about it. (FWIW, I want to emphasize "a couple"--after a six pack, I'm the only one who thinks I sound good; more than that and even I can't stand it...)

HTH in some ways. Good luck though